Memories from a Uniform Dress
by ChaoChan23
Summary: Hungary wasn't staring into some old dress, oh no, she was staring into a mirror with a certain someone looking back at her. PruHun.


Staring into an old uniform had never been so captivating. It was as if it was a mirror projecting a younger face. Each fiber woven together tightly held a memory, the faded portions faint, light ones practically forgotten. The patches of dirt were bad times that never quite washed out, darling little metaphors signaling the fact you can't just always forget.

It was old; hundreds of years old and hundred times worn. Yet, on this particular day, it seemed as though a certain memory shone through the rest, like it was screaming at the tops of its lungs.

Such a thought didn't belong with the material, but it was if all the other memories sparked and caught fire, burning this one through to relive in the moment.

She rubbed the pad of her thumb over the stitching in a gentle movement, calming time and calling it fourth. The lids of her eyes drooped shut, the darkness the action created soon being washed out by a fresh, crisp picture.

xxx

_It was only as if it was yesterday; only as if the air was as crisp, the sky was as blue, and as if her back was against lush grass instead of her feet positioned on the cold hardwood flooring of the closet._

_She had turned her head to see pale lips curved into a sly smile, vibrant red eyes twinkling with a sense of pride. The young boy that stood before her had gone off hunting without her after she sadly turned him down. The new man she lived under would probably find a woman hunting odd. Women were meant to sweep walkways, as she had been doing, and keep things tidy and neat with a bounce in their step as if they loved to be slaves to feministic stereotypes._

_The broom in her hands could not keep her from imagining the adventure, though, and bringing up the face the boy made when he saw how drastically she changed. _

"_While you were here cleaning I caught something awesome." Never could be amazing, it always had to be awesome. Her interest was piqued enough to ask "Really? Then show it to me." _

_The boy shifted an arm from behind his back; clasped in his gloved hand was the tail of a deceased squirrel, the animal hanging limply as if it were a sheet caught in the breeze. She couldn't help herself from making a noise like a sneer, a hand positioning itself on her hip as she grinned at the other. For a moment he seemed confused like he was deciding whether to pout or fight back. He took a whole other route. _

"_I see you're just jealous of my skills." She quickly snipped the bud before it bloomed. "As if!" and with a roll of her eyes, she sent another blow. "A squirrel is nothing to be that proud of. I could catch larger things in my sleep!" The words were not spoken as if they were jealousy hiding behind a bashful thank you, but yet as if they were truth written in stone. _

_The male snorted, his turn to roll his eyes. "All I hear is jealousy. I know it's overwhelming sometimes to know someone of such awesome, but being jealous will get you nowhere." It was easy to tell he was the actual jealous one, knowing all too well that when they were kids he was always stumbling and missing the target. She was the one who could hit something on the first try. She could probably shoot an apple off the top of his head in one, clean shot._

"_Take your own advice." She responded rather quickly. "Why would I do that?" He questioned, face looking dumbfounded before playing a rye grin. "I'm not the one chained to a dress sweeping some sidewalk while her friend is out having the time of his life." That was a hit below the belt. If she had a frying pan in her hand it would have left a seeping gash in the side of his head. "You better watch it." She hissed, pointing a finger at the offender. "I'm not chained; I'm choosing to do this."_

"_Is it to impress him?" The male was speaking of her new keeper, swearing he noticed one of her eyes twitch when he mentioned the man. "N-No!" She huffed, tossing the broom aside so she was able to cross her arms. She was getting a bit fed up with his banter, her emerald eyes gleaming with distaste. "Then drop the act and come have a bit of fun. Are you chicken you've gone soft and I won't take it easy on you?" That was the last straw. _

"_That's it!" She cried out, suddenly charging forward. The sudden speed caught the male off guard and he spun on his heels, taking off in the other direction. Unlike a 'proper' woman, she ran with her arms pumping at her sides, legs spreading for long strides instead of gallantly skipping along with her elbows swaying to and fro. She chased him out into a field, practically clipping his heels with her gaining pace. He let out a loud gasp, trying to push himself further to gain a bit of distance between the two. _

_The effort was short lived, for seconds later she tripped over the rim of her dress, crashing forward only to tug the boy down with her. He screamed in surprise and his prize from his little hunting trip flew from his hand, landing some feet away as the two slammed into the grass, green rubbing onto their clothes. He landed on his stomach and she landed on his back, soon rolling off to lie beside him on her back. He flipped over and sat up, blinking down on her with those red eyes. _

_All at once they broke out into a harmonious laughter, one strong and pure that only two cherished friends could create together. Multiple birds and bugs flew passed before the chorus of joy burned out, dying down into childish fits of giggles and squeals. "I guess that dress is an advantage, ja? Of course I wasn't going to get caught but it sure helped slow you down!" _

_Still so full of himself, she remembered thinking, knowing she was so close to catching him before her blunder. "Yeah, of course." She responded, flashing him a small smile. "This dress is less of an advantage and more of a handicap." The male gasped out a 'hey!' that only caused her to laugh yet again. He smiled at this, always enjoying the happiness she gave off, and laid back beside her with his arms spread, letting out a quiet 'oof!'_

_There was a long pause as the two watched the clouds, both deep in thought as an unnoticed awkward silence washed over. He was the first to break it, eyes narrowed to signal serious words. _

"_Things are going to be different now, aren't they?" _

_She looked over at him and froze, part of her not wanting to answer such a question and ruin a peaceful moment. With a sigh she broke from her trance, moving her eyes in the opposite direction. Although the words had been on the tip of her tongue, her mind was blank and her throat seemed dry. She feared speaking the sentence; she knew if she answered, it was like the first step to breaking away. Of course, true friendship was never broken, but the future was always a frightening thing. _

"_Yeah, they're going to be a lot different…" She felt her chest pang—she wouldn't end it there. "But…! That doesn't mean we have to be different." Sitting up, she flashed a smile and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "So I'm a girl on the outside, doesn't change my fighting spirit on the inside. You might change too, but that awesome will always be inside." _

_He seemed shocked at what she just said; having to blink his eyes a few times before it registered. He laughed, the cackle sounding like 'kesesese', and nodded his head. "Of course! When you have this much awesome, it never goes away! Same goes for friendship…" The grin he wore softened, the girl's expression looking confused. "When you have this much friendship, it never goes away." _

_She smiled at him, a toothy, happy smile, and then gave him a quick hug. He seemed startled, but hugged back none the less. "You really are acting more like a gi—" She cut him off. "Shut up, Gilbert_."

"But the thing is…" She whispered to herself, now running her palm across the fabric in soft motions. "Things didn't change; I changed and you didn't change at all. You even went through harder times, and you dissolved, but in the end…" The room fell silent for a mere second that seemed like hours. "…you were right. You're still awesome obsessed Gilbert and we're still friends."


End file.
